Mariners starter Smyly could miss 2 months with elbow strain

Freddie Freeman hit a three-run homer, Bartolo Colon got in a final tuneup before his 20th big league season and the Atlanta Braves opened their new stadium with an 8-5 exhibition victory over the New York Yankees on Friday night.

New York's Greg Bird picked up his eighth homer - tied with Washington's Bryce Harper for the most in the majors this spring - with a two-run shot off the 43-year-old Colon in the third inning. Freeman put the Braves ahead in the bottom half with a drive over the high brick wall in right-center field at SunTrust Park.

The exhibition, before a crowd of 21,392, wrapped up the spring for both teams and served as a soft opening for the new stadium, which still has some kinks to work out. The lights flickered a couple of times, the center field scoreboard went out briefly and the press elevator malfunctioned.

Colon went three innings for the Braves, allowing four hits with two strikeouts. He was followed to the mound by 42-year-old R.A. Dickey, who will make Atlanta the first team since the 1990 Texas Rangers to have two 40-year-old pitchers in the starting rotation.

Dickey pitched two scoreless innings.

Michael Pineda went five innings for the Yankees. He surrendered six hits and three runs, with six strikeouts.

SMYLY OUT

Seattle Mariners starter Drew Smyly will begin the season on the disabled list and could be out for up to two months because of a strained elbow.

Smyly likely will miss six to eight weeks with a flex strain in his left elbow, a big blow after the Mariners' roster seemed set for the start of the regular season. Smyly will rehab the injury and surgery is not expected, but he and the club are seeking additional information about how to handle the recovery.

''It's a key loss,'' general manager Jerry Dipoto said Friday. ''I can sit here and lament that we've lost Drew for a period of time or I can take a positive outlook and we're days away from opening day.

Smyly was slotted to be Seattle's No. 4 starter after being acquired in the offseason in a trade from Tampa Bay. The 27-year-old was 7-12 with a 4.88 ERA for the Rays last season.

Ariel Miranda, who was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on March 25, will take Smyly's spot in the rotation.

AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUES:

PHILLIES 7, RAYS 7, 9 INNINGS

Philadelphia starter Clay Buchholz gave up five runs on seven hits and a walk over five innings. Freddy Galvis homered and Andrew Knapp drove in three runs for the Phillies.

Alex Cobb allowed three runs on three hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings for Tampa Bay. Steven Souza Jr. homered and Tim Beckham hit a bases-loaded triple.

TWINS 3, TRIPLE-A ROCHESTER 3, 9 INNINGS

Miguel Sano hit his first home run this spring and Minnesota starter Kyle Gibson gave up two runs and three hits over three innings.

Twins top prospect Jose Berrios, who also pitched for Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic, walked five over 2 1/3 innings for the team's top affiliate.

ORIOLES 3, TRIPLE-A NORFOLK 3, 9 INNINGS

J.J. Hardy hit his first spring home run and Ryan Flaherty drove in two runs.

MARLINS 7, TIGERS 1

Detroit announced outfielder J.D. Martinez will start on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained right foot. The move was made retroactive to Thursday.

Tigers starter Jordan Zimmerman continued to struggle, allowing four runs on five hits in three innings to finish the spring with an 8.74 ERA in 11 1/3 innings. Miguel Cabrera hit a home run and Justin Upton had two of the Tigers' four hits.

Adam Conley allowed a hit and two walks in four scoreless innings and Giancarlo Stanton had a two-run homer.

CUBS 6, ASTROS 3

Kyle Hendricks and Joe Musgrove each wrapped up successful springs with solid starts.

Hendricks yielded two hits and struck out three over five scoreless innings to help Chicago win at Houston in the last tuneup for the teams before opening day.

Musgrove allowed three hits with four strikeouts over four scoreless innings for the Astros.

CARDINALS 5, DOUBLE-A SPRINGFIELD 2

Mike Leake scattered six hits over seven innings in his final tuneup for St. Louis. He allowed one run and had eight strikeouts without a walk. Greg Garcia's two-run single in the seventh broke a tie.

REDS 1, TRIPLE-A LOUISVILLE 1, 9 INNINGS

Rookie Davis allowed a run on three hits in three innings and Joey Votto drove in Billy Hamilton with a first-inning run as Cincinnati tied its Triple-A team.

Adam Duvall went 2 for 2 for the Reds and seven pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts.

You May Like

More MLB

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Don't get stuck on the sidelines! Sign up to get exclusives, daily highlights, analysis and more—delivered right to your inbox!